To make the proper cuts; you’ll need to install the correct blade, which means you’ll need to know not only how to change the band saw blade, but also how to adjust the saw to keep the blade that you do install tracking straight and true. In the following step-by-step tutorial, learn how to change your band saw blade as well as how to make the adjustments necessary to keep your band saw blade cutting properly. Before you can begin to truly tension and adjust the tracking on your new band saw blade, you’ll need to loosen the band saw guide blocks and rollers that keep the blade tracking properly.
Whether you’re a beginner or could just use a refresher, we’re going to walk you through the process for a perfect bandsaw blade adjustment setup every time, no matter what blade you install. There is a whole quality spectrum when it comes to bandsaw blade guides. Lower the upper blade guide, open the wheel housing(s) and blade guard and carefully remove the blade. If you’re swapping to a different blade of the same width – perhaps to a higher tooth count – or putting the same blade back on, you may be able to get away without readjusting the guides. So it should be no real shocker that you’ll encounter conflicting schools of thought regarding blade placement on the wheels and how it affects blade “Drift”. On others, the thrust bearing is a “thrust block” instead. Either way, it serves the same function: supporting the blade as you feed material and preventing the blade from bowing and twisting as you exceed its beam strength. Will The Real Bandsaw Blade Guides Please Stand Up? While the guide assemblies can be generically referred to as “the blade guides”, the actual blade guides are the parts that sit to the left and right of the blade and restrict side to side movement and twisting.
Speaker: Today, I’m going to walk you through the process of changing a band saw blade. It’s pretty simple, but there are three main things to consider: blade tracking, blade tension, and guide adjustment. Since the blade is a continuous loop, the table is slotted so that you can get the blade out.
What follows is how you install a vertical bandsaw blade. Remove the Blade: Pull blade from top wheel and clear the entire blade from the bandsaw. Regardless of the orientation, the blade direction remains the same; towards the work along the blade rotation.
Installing the blade is almost identical to taking it off, but this time you WILL need to re-adjust the upper and lower blade guides and the Thrust Bearing. So install the new blade by placing it on the upper wheel first, then the lower wheel, and now is a good time to take up a bit of slack in the blade. Before you start to align the blade on the wheel, make sure none of guides or thrust bearings are touching the blade … now, spin the upper wheel while adjusting the angle of the blade.
how to attach bandsaw blade Related Question:
Why does my bandsaw blade keeps coming off?
Blade Tension Is Too Loose The most common reason why the blade is slipping off is that there isn’t enough tension to keep it on. Blades can slowly become loose after years of wear and tear, and eventually, you’ll need to tighten or replace them.
Where should a bandsaw blade sit on the wheel?
Make sure the machine is disconnected from the power supply. When tracking, you always want to make sure that the blade is sat on the crown of the wheel, with the deepest part of the gullet in the centre.
Why does my bandsaw blade wander?
If the wheels are worn and do not have a distinct top to the crown then the blade will not know where to go, and may wander around. This of course can cause poor cut quality and difficulty in setting the guides.
How is a band saw blade tracked?
Tracking describes the in-plane “front-to-back” motion of a bandsaw as it runs on the bandmill wheels. Bandsaw tracking stability returns the sawblade to its initial position after any in-plane side-to-side displacement caused by a cutting force.
Why does my bandsaw blade wobble?
The blade on a saw left idle for long periods of time can leave an impression in the rubber tire which might cause erratic tracking. Purchase and install aftermarket replacement tires. (Search for “bandsaw tire” at woodcraft.com.) If you still see a back-and-forth motion, the culprit is probably the wheel itself.
What is the gullet on a bandsaw blade?
Bandsaw blade gullets are the space or curvature between each individual tooth on a saw blade. With each pass of the blade, the material being cut will curl into the gullet, creating a spiral of material called the chip. Too many teeth in the cut will make the gullet full.
How high should a band saw table be?
For the small shop furniture maker, go with 14″ as the minimum for a bandsaw, though 16″ is better. Those doing larger work might even want 18″ or 20″ machines. Just make sure you have a minimum resaw height of 12″ for versatility.
What is the main purpose of a band saw?
A bandsaw (also written band saw) is a power saw with a long, sharp blade consisting of a continuous band of toothed metal stretched between two or more wheels to cut material. They are used principally in woodworking, metalworking, and lumbering, but may cut a variety of materials.
Why it is important to check the tracking on a band saw?
A blade needs to be properly tracked in order to ensure a smooth operation, secure operator safety, and to keep the bandsaw running optimally and smooth. It would be a waste of time and money to cut materials without first tracking the saw blade. Without it, crooked cuts result, equating to wasted materials.
How tight should my metal cutting bandsaw blade be?
For carbon steel toothed blades (cutting blades) this is typically 15,000 to 25,000 PSI. Slitting type blades typically are tensioned in the range of 12,000 to 20,000 PSI. In general bandsaw blades are never tensioned past 35,000 psi.
How do you measure the tension on a bandsaw blade?
Bandsaw blade tension is usually worked out by measuring the elastic stretch (strain) of the blade under tension, and multiplying that by the Young’s modulus of steel and the blade’s cross-sectional aera to get the actual tension.